ZoneAlarm Security Suite 6.5 review

This full-blooded version is feature-rich

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Our Verdict

Another excellent suite of security tools

For

Good firewall

It's free

Against

Interface hasn't changed

ZoneAlarm is possibly better known for the free version of its Internet security software. So much so, people often forget there is a stronger and fully- fledged version available. As with the other packages on offer here, you'll find anti-virus, anti-spam, anti-spyware, anti- phishing, and firewall protection for your laptop. There are also a number of new tools that have been added.

In the ongoing war against identity theft, ZoneAlarm has teamed up with identity management solutions provider Intersections, which will monitor your identity online, make sure any transactions you're carrying out are legitimate and, should the worse happen and you fall victim of identity theft, it's there to help you recover it.

Considering this is a free addition to the security suite, it's offering a great deal and is certainly a unique feature we haven't seen from others. Whether it's a brave and successful move or a little rash is yet to be seen, but we have to applaud ZoneAlarm for setting a new standard.

Another new tool and one that will increasingly become popular, is the monitoring of Instant Messenger tools. This is one area where little protection is currently offered and where fraud, identity theft and even hacking can be best put to use.

So, should any rogue addresses not on your contact list try to use or contact your account, you'll be made aware of it. You still need to be pro-active and report any attempts, but it's a start to protecting online conversations.

It's not only the identity management software that's new here, as gamers going online will see a slight performance boost as the program, which continues to monitor online security, will no longer start pops-ups flashing when you're playing.

ZoneAlarm is quickly establishing itself as the leader in firewalls, proving to be more effective than the competition, thanks to the way it monitors activities online. When you're online, the ZoneAlarm site monitors your security level, so is able to send any updates as soon as they are available, saving you time and the need to remember to check for them.

On a more basic level, the interface hasn't changed, so you'll still find a clean and intuitive screen with features such as Firewall, Antivirus, and Parental Controls running down the left side of the screen.

Identity theft may not be something at the forefront of people's minds, but it is an increasing problem. It' s impressive that ZoneAlarm has teamed up with Intersections to monitor the situation and help reclaim your identity should the worst happen, making this package more than worth considering.